MOTHER WELCOMES NEW DETOX LAW FOR KIDS

No matter who a local mother talked to, she was told there was
nothing she could do about her crystal meth-addicted daughter.

However, a new law giving parents the ability to force their
children into detox has changed that.

The mother, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her
daughter, spearheaded a petition to get the government to help
parents and guardians fight their children's drug addictions with
involuntary care.

The results of that petition could be seen this past weekend, when a
new law came into affect allowing parents to force their kids into detox.

"It's a beginning and I'm glad to see something started, but it's
only a beginning. A lot more needs to be done," said the mother,
whose 17-year-old daughter started using crystal meth at 13 when a
27-year-old convinced her to try it.

Under the Youth Drug Detoxification and Stabilization Act, parents
or guardians of youths aged 12 to 17 can ask a judge to assess them
to determine whether they need involuntary care in a secure facility.

"Just before Christmas one year, my daughter's boyfriend called and
said he needed to bring her home. When she got here, she had meth
sores on her face, she was skinny, her eyes were black and when she
talked it was like she had marbles in her mouth aE" nothing made
sense," recalled the mother.

It's been a five-year struggle to help get her daughter off the
extremely addictive drug.

The daughter has had three relapses but has now been off crystal
meth for almost five months.

Over the years, the mother said she begged judges to put her
daughter in detox.

Now with the new law, she hopes parents going through the same
struggles will have an easier time getting help for their children.

"Maybe they can catch the addiction faster. Your hands are tied less."

However, she doesn't agree with some parts of the new law.

She said the new law does not allow parents to have a say in the
treatment of their child.

And the five-to 15-day involuntary care stay in a secure facility
for detoxification is not long enough, she said.